All-Star game getting a draft, and SCC-FCIAC Challenge schedule announced

By NED X. GRIFFEN

Old teammates could become new rivals this summer as the Connecticut High School Coaches Association is putting a new twist on summer all-star football games.

The CHSCA announced Friday that they will hold the Hall Of Fame Classic on June 29 at Rentschler Field (4:30 p.m.) The game will be played between two teams of graduated state high school seniors chosen via a draft.

The Classic replaces both the Hall Of Fame Classic between Fairfield and New Haven counties, as well as the Governor’s Cup between Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Coaches will be announced for the Classic on Jan. 12 at East Haven’s Anthony’s Ocean View as part of Walter Camp Breakfast Of Champions.

The Classic will feature 110 seniors chosen to play based on coaches’ recommendations and player performance at a March 24 combine at New Haven’s Floyd Athletic Center. The teams will be selected later via a draft. It's possible, then, that players from the same high school team could be on opposite teams at the Classic.

The CHSCA will also host a golf tournament, a coaches’ clinic and a youth clinic as part of the Classic.

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The FCIAC and SCC gave us all an early Christmas treat as they announced dates and times for their 24 interleague games next season.

There will be 17 games in Week 1 as part of the SCC-FCIAC Challenge. Most of those games will be played before Yom Kippur on Friday, Sept. 13.

The Week 1 schedule goes a little something like this:

Wednesday, Sept. 11

(All games 7 p.m. unless noted)

Hillhouse at Darien, 3 p.m.

Fairfield Prep at Stamford, 6 p.m.

Law vs. Harding at Kennedy Stadium, Stamford, 6 p.m.

Cheshire at Ridgefield

Fairfield Warde at Foran

New Canaan at Hand

Thursday, Sept. 12

(All games 7 p.m. unless noted)

North Haven at Bridgeport Central, 6 p.m.

Staples at Xavier, 6 p.m.

Bassick at East Haven

Danbury at Hamden

Fairfield Ludlowe at Lyman Hall

Trumbull at Shelton

West Haven at Greenwich

Wilbur Cross at McMahon

Wilton at Guilford

Friday, Sept. 13

Trinity Catholic at Sheehan, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 14

Notre Dame-West Haven at St. Joseph, 1 p.m.

There will be several other games between the two leagues during the rest of next season:

Friday, Sept. 20

St. Joseph at Fairfield Prep, 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27

Branford at Wilton, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 4

Ridgefield at Notre Dame-West Haven, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 12

Foran at Trinity Catholic, 1:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1

Sheehan at Fairfield Warde, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 8

East Haven at Fairifield Ludlowe, 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 15

Darien at North Haven, 7 p.m.

The sites of all 24 games will flip-flop for 2014.

There'll also be a NVL-SWC Challenge held during Week 6 of the 2013 and 2014 seasons.